SOIL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOIL SAMPLES OBTAINED FROM THREE

DIFFERENT LOCATIONS

Romo, Princess Rey Ann Lene E.

Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte,
Philippines 6521-A
Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology

ABSTRACT
Soil is a non-renewable natural resource of loose minerals and organic materials that is capable of
holding nutrients and gases, as well as sustaining life on Earth. Since its development is driven by different
factors in the environment where it’s being formed, properties vary and are also being influenced in
different ways. In this experiment, several tests were conducted to characterize soil samples obtained from
three different location. The test for soil structure showed that the soil sample from the front yard was single
grained; soil sample from a farm was granular; and the soil sample from a roadside lawn was blocky. To
test the soil texture, a soil ribbon test was conducted and the results showed that the soil sample from the
front yard was identified as sand; the soil sample from a farm as loam; and the soil sample from a roadside
lawn as sandy. Additionally, colors of each of the soil samples were identified using the Munsell Color
Chart. The soil sample from the front yard was identified to have a color of 10YR 6/2; the soil sample from
a farm had the color 10YR 4/6; and the soil sample from the roadside lawn had the color 2.5Y 4/4.

Keywords: soil, characterization, texture, gas, fuel-rich, air-rich

INTRODUCTION development. The soil forming process is being

influenced by the kind of parent material since
Soil is defined as a layer of generally that determines the physical and chemical
loose minerals and organic materials that holds properties and composition of the soil.
liquids, gases, and biota – by which physical, Development of soil is also significantly affected
chemical, and biological processes on Earth by the topography of the area where it developed.
affect it. It covers land surfaces and is formed as And lastly, all living organism influence soil
a result of the weathering of rock materials. formation and development. Example of which is
(Nortcliff et al., 2011) It is non-renewable natural land use – falls directly under human activity –
resource that plays a crucial role in sustaining life that causes soil degradation and deterioration of
on Earth. (Schoonover & Crim, 2015) soil quality when land us is inappropriate and
Soil properties are affected by various management is poor. (Moges, Dagnachew, &
factors which can either be physical, chemical, Yimer, 2013)
ecological, or biological – depending on what On another note, soil has many uses or
caused it. For instance, climate – which affects functions. One of which is its importance on plant
the stability and formation of soil, as well as its growth. It acts a reservoir of water and nutrients
holding capacity and nutrient content. (Brevik, needed by plants in order to grow and survive.
2013) The parent material of the soil as well as The soil also acts as a ground filter and it supports
the time are also important factors for soil other organisms aside from plants.
 Since soil development vary depending Abundance (in terms of volume %)
on the factors that affect its formation, it can be
characterized through the different properties that Very few Less than 5%
it possesses. Few 5 – 15%
Common 15 – 40%
METHODOLOGY
Coarse More than 40%
Materials
Testing for soil structure
• Bolo/shovel • Water
• Plastic bag • Marking pen After airdrying the samples, the test for
• Munsell color • Ruler soil structure was then proceeded.
chart
For ever soil sample, a handful of soil
Sampling and labelling of samples was taken and dropped onto a firm base at a
height of 1 meter. This was done thrice for all
Three soil samples were gathered from samples.
three different locations. A shovel was used to Since the texture of the soil samples were
obtain the samples from at least 2 inches below sandy or loamy of a sort, it was dropped again
the ground. The collected samples were placed only once at a height of 0.5 meters. The
inside a plastic bag – which served as its own aggregates that broke off from every soil sample
respective container. was then compared to the illustration on the
Each sample was identified and labelled different categories of soil structure.
using a marking pen according to the location Observations were recorded and noted down.
where it came from, namely: front yard soil
sample, farm soil sample, and roadside/lawn soil Soil Ribbon Test
sample. The soil samples were then airdried for
1-2 days as preparation for the soil test. The first one tested for the ribbon test was
the front yard soil sample. A handful of the soil
Characterization of sampling area sample was used for the test. Water was added to
the soil and was mixed until it seemed moldable.
For every sampling area, the location, The substance was then used to mold a ball. Since
landform, and topographic position was noted it couldn’t a ball, the soil was then identified as
down. Observations on the vegetation, land use, sand.
drainage, and climate of the area were also The second soil sample tested for the soil
recorded. ribbon test was the farm soil sample. A handful of
the soil sample was used for the test. Water was
Identifying the sizes and abundance of roots added to the soil and was mixed until it seemed
moldable. The substance was then used to mold a
The distribution of roots in each of the ball. Since a ball was formed, creating a ribbon
sampling areas were also observed. The out of the substance was proceeded. The length at
abundance and categories of the presence of roots which the ribbon broke determined what kind of
were based on the criteria below. soil it was based on texture. The second sample,
through the soil ribbon test, was identified as
Size (root diameter) loam.
The last soil sample tested for the soil
Very Fine Less than 1 mm
ribbon test was the roadside/lawn soil sample. A
Fine 1-2 mm handful of the soil sample was used for the test.
Medium 2-5 mm Water was added to the soil and was mixed until
it seemed moldable. The substance was then used
Coarse More than 5 mm to mold a ball. After a ball was formed, creating
a ribbon out of the substance was proceeded.
SOIL SAMPLE 3
Since a ribbon cannot be made out of the
substance, it was classified as loamy sand.
Location Roadside lawn
Identifying the soil color
Landform Plain
Munsell Color Chart was used to
Topographic
determine the color of each of the soil sample. For footslope
position
every soil sample, a handful was used to compare
to the chart and identify its respective colors. Vegetation and Plants, trees, tall grasses;
Observations were recorded and noted down. land use grassland

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Drainage Well-drained

Site characteristics Climate Tropic

Table 3. Site characteristics for roadside lawn soil sample
SOIL SAMPLE 1

Location Front yard

Properties Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Single
Landform Plain Structure Granular Blocky
grained
Topographic
toeslope Sandy
position Texture Sand Loam
loam
Vegetation Shrub and grasses; land used as a
Color 10YR 6/2 10YR 4/6 2.5Y 4/4
and land use property where a house stands
Fine-very Medium
Drainage Overly drained
Coarse fine size size of
Size and
size of of roots; roots;
Climate tropic abundance
of roots roots; few common- common-
Table 1. Site characteristics for front yard soil sample abundance coarse coarse
abundance abundance
Table 4. Soil characterization result
SOIL SAMPLE 2

Location Farm
Soils differ due to the different factors in
the environment that affect it. Such factors
Landform Mountain include climate, topography, the material from
which it was derived from, time, and the
Topographic organisms that surrounds it. The ecological
Backslope processes in the environment also influence the
position
formation and development of soils. These
Vegetation Vegetable, grasses, leafy and differences are the reasons why each type of soil
and land use flowering plants; garden possesses a different type of functionality.
The soil structure is the spatial
Drainage Well-drained arrangement of its particles. It plays a vital role
in physical and physicochemical functionalities
Climate tropic that are especially needed by vegetation and plant
growth. (Miedema, 1997) On the other hand, soil
Table 2. Site characteristics for farm soil sample
texture refers to the composition of the soil
according to the proportions of different sizes of Based on the results, it can be concluded
particles. (Ball, 2001) It plays an important role that different types of soil have differences in
to its biophysical properties. (Upadhyay & porosity, water capacity, and in sustaining
Raghubanshi, 2020) vegetation or life. Sand soil is single-grained in
The soil’s structure and texture influence structure, and is not much capable of holding
the retention of moisture and air movement. The water and sustaining vegetation. On the contrary,
soil’s surface area – determined by the its both sandy loam soil and loam soil having enough
structure - affects its capacity to hold water. The capacity for holding water and sustaining
bigger surface area, the bigger capacity it has to vegetation and life – but are different in structure
hold water – thus retaining the soil’s moisture. and cohesion abilities. Furthermore, the sample
Moreover, soil porosity – a property influenced sites for each of the soil sample shows the
by the soil’s texture and structure – affects the air characteristics and conclusions we have deduced
and water movement in soils. Thus, both from this experiment.
properties also affect the permeability of the soil.
As shown in Table 4, the soil sample
from the front yard (Soil Sample 1) was identified ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
as sand. It had a single-grained structure, and it
lacked cohesion properties during the ribbon test. The author would like to extend her
This type of soil lacks surface area to hold water heartfelt gratitude to Ma’am Honeylene V. Ongy,
or retain moisture – which was indicated by the of the Department of Biological Sciences, for her
overly or extremely drained characteristic of the guidance, teachings, and understanding; and for
sample site. There are plants that are able to sharing her expertise in the subject matter.
survive in sand – especially those with coarse root
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